“The Russian leadership and president believe that the responsibility for the current developments lies squarely on extremist elements, whose actions can be regarded as a government coup,” Peskov said. “This applies to the seizure of buildings and attempts to lay hands on weapons.”

At the same time he said that “the Russian president’s position is confined to waiting for an early settlement of the situation,” Peskov said, adding that the ways and means of achieving a settlement was Ukraine’s own business.

Peskov said that late last night the Russian and Ukrainian presidents had a telephone conversation. He dismissed as a fake mass media allegations about the contents of what was said.

Live stream from Independence Square in Kiev. Youtube.com/Espreso TV

“Everything that has been published about the contents of the conversation is not true,” Peskov said.

“The Russian president did not give any advice before and is not giving advises to his Ukrainian colleague on what to do. And he does not intend to advise him in the future,” Peskov added.

The presidential spokesperson said that Moscow was maintaining a dialogue with all civilized political forces in Ukraine.

In reply to journalists’ question about extending a second loan tranche he said: "I cannot say anything on the issue yet."

"Obviously, in the situation when extremists stage what is happening in Ukraine, settlement of this situation is the top priority," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated.